Dodger and Charley: An Unbreakable Brotherhood
by Rosebud5
Summary: Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they're always there. This is the story of Dodger and Charley's friendship...and their brotherhood. One-shot. Rated T to be safe.


'Ello, mates! So, yes, I know I have a TON of other fics in the works. But bordeom and the plot bunnies infested my mind and this came out! No, this is NOT slash! It's brotherly love!

**_This is based off the 1997 version, as all my fics are. However, that version is sadly lacking a Charley, so I took the Charley from the novel/musical and inserted him into the wonderful world of Elijah Wood's Dodger! However, you may picture the characters from any version you like, as always:)_**

**~I GET TO SEE _OLIVER! _ON STAGE THIS SATURDAY! I'M SO PUMPED! *dances*~**

~Rosey

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><p><strong>Dodger and Charley: An Unbreakable Brotherhood<strong>

The first time Jack Dawkins met Charley Bates, Charley was nine and Dodger was eleven. Charley was brought into the gang by Bet, who found him on the side of a road, almost starved to death. When Bet brought him into the den, Fagin was the first to greet him, smiling down at him and telling him to consider himself at home. Then Charley spotted Dodger, who was sitting near the fire and looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

When their eyes met, Dodger leapt to his feet and hurried over to him with a huge smile, holding out a hand to the newcomer. Dodger's sleeves were almost five sizes too long at the time, and Charley shook more sleeve than hand when his palm met Dodger's. "'Ello!" Dodger beamed at him. "My name is Jack Dawkins, but you can call me the Artful Dodger! Or just Dodger," he added with a grin.

"I'm Charley," the smaller boy said. "You can call me Charley."

Dodger laughed and grabbed Charley by the hand, dragging him over to the fireplace with him. "You know 'ow to play poker?"

"No."

"Aww. Darn. You got any money on you?"

...

Later that night, Charley was woken up to someone shaking his shoulder and whispering his name excitedly. "Charley! Wake up!"

"Dodge?" Charley looked up at the boy blearily. "Wot's goin' on?"

"Yer like cake?"

"Yeh..."

"Come wiv me."

Charley let Dodger yank him up and pull him over to a small box in the kitchen portion of the den. The artful one pulled open the lid and brought out a giant piece of chocolate cake. "Fagin's Birthday was yesterday and Nancy made 'im this. Want some?"

"Are we allowed?" Charley asked, wide eyed.

"Nope. But we're thieves."

Charley learned that night that Dodger could talk his way into or out of anything.

...

As time passed, Charley and Dodger both became expert pick-pockets, and both of their different personalities developed along with these skills. Charley became the wild, constantly laughing boy he was meant to be, and Dodger became the charming, clever rouge we all know and love. However, one thing didn't change. The friendship between Dodger and Charley. If anything, it only grew stronger.

...

When Dodger was thirteen and Charley was eleven, the boys were sitting on the roof of the hideout, playing poker. Dodger was beating Charley badly...again...And when Charley owed Dodger up to fifteen pounds, both boys decided to quit the game for the time being and just sit there watching the people pass down below, each person looking like a tiny speck.

Suddenly Charley faced Dodger with a grin. "Dodge? I 'ave a question for yer."

"'K," Dodger shrugged, tilting his top hat back. "Wot?"

"Do yer like Nance?"

Dodger blinked and looked at his friend for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah...Don't you?"

"No, no I don't mean like friendship! I mean...do you _like _her?" Charley scooted closer to his friend and looked more serious than Dodger could ever remember his friend looking.

"Wot? No!" Dodger shook his head, laughing and punching his friend in the shoulder. "Wot would make yer think tha'?"

"Oh, I don't know. The way you look when she's around, maybe?"

"Wot do yer mean-"

Charley dropped his jaw as low as it would go, his tongue lolling out and his eyes wide and glittery.

"I don't look like tha'!" Dodger protested, crossing his arms.

"Yeah. Yer jaw drops a little lower," Charley roared with laughter. And thus it became known to Master Bates that his best friend was in love, even if Dodger himself would never admit it.

...

When Dodger was fifteen and Charley was thirteen, Dodger found out Nancy and Bill were dating and Charley took it upon himself to make him feel better.

"Wot did the fisherman say to the card magician?" Charley asked his friend with a grin.

"I don't know," Dodger said dryly, holding his already aching head with his hands.

"Pick a cod, any cod!" Charley burst into laughter, almost rolling out of his chair.

"Hysterical," Dodger rolled his eyes.

"Get it? Like a cod fish? Cod!" Charley went on, ignorant to Dodger's obvious unenthusasim.

"Yep. Yep I get it," Dodger nodded weakly. "Funniest joke I've heard all day."

"Right?" Charley was roaring by now, wiping tears from his eyes. "Ohh I'm funny!"

"Sure are," Dodger sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "You're so funny I'm exhausted and am going to sleep."

"Okay," Charley sobered, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Sleep well, mate. And don't worry, Dodge. Yer don't need girls. Youse got me!"

Dodger learned that day that Charley was always there to make him laugh...or at least try to make him laugh...but also knew when to stop.

...

When Dodge was sixteen and Charley was fourteen, Dodger got mugged. The right side of his face was badly busted up, and he had four broken ribs. He showed up at the den, swaying and wincing, and at first Charley was all for going out and beating up whoever did that to his best friend. But when Dodger told him it had been Sikes and he would rather keep his best friend alive, thank you very much, Charley just helped Dodger to the couch and sat on the edge of it while his friend lay down, wincing at the pain in his head.

"Why did Bill do it?" Charley asked angrily.

"'E was bad talkin' Nance and I stood up fer 'er," Dodger sighed.

Charley gave Dodger his own hankerchief so his friend could wipe the wound on his face before sighing. "You care about 'er too much, Dodge."

Fagin came over just then to give Dodger a wet rag to hold on his face, patting his favorite protégé on the shoulder. "You going to be alright, my dear?"

"Yeah," Dodger nodded. "I'm fine."

"Good lad," Fagin smiled kindly. And with that, the old man hobbled off and left Dodger and Charley alone in an awkward silence.

"I don't care about 'er too much," Dodger finally spoke up quietly.

"Yeh yer do," Charley mumbled. "I'm just worried about you, mate."

That's friendship right there.

...

It was when Dodger was seventeen and Charley was fifteen that the Artful one brought Oliver Twist into the gang. It was then that Charley feared losing his place as the Artful Dodger's best friend. But he had no reason to fear. Dodger looked at Oliver as a little brother he needed to take care of and protect.

He saw Charley as not only his brother, but his _friend. _His best friend. And some days he couldn't stand him and he certainly didn't feel like Charley needed his protection. Their relationship was deeper than that. There was mutual love and understanding, and that's what made them brothers. Not a need of protection, like Oliver and Dodger. But a genuine bond that could withstand almost anything. One thing tested this bond, and it happened about six months after Oliver came.

Nancy died.

And it was Dodger's fault.

Of all people, Dodger was the one Sikes picked to spy on her and tell him where she was going. And you can't say no to Bill Sikes, even if it means betraying the one you love.

...

"You peached!" Charley cried, tears in his eyes. "You peached on 'er!"

Dodger and Charley were on the bottom steps of London Bridge, only moments after Dodger found Nancy's body. Dodger was leaning against the wall, his face pale and his body shaking. He looked up at Charley from under the brim of his top hat, his blue eyes dull. "I'm sorry, Charley. I'm so sorry."

"That won't bring 'er back, now will it?" Charley growled. "You loved 'er, Jack! You loved 'er! Wot were you thinkin'?"

"Sikes 'ad me up against a wall, Charley! I couldn't do nothin'!"

"You could 'ave lied!"

"You fink I didn't try? 'E said 'e was gonna kill me if I didn't tell 'im!"

"But Nan-"

"And I didn't want tha' to 'appen to yer."

Charley looked up, suprised. "Wot?"

"I thought about wot would 'appen to me if you died. And I didn't want tha' to 'appen to _you_, mate."

Charley blinked. It was then he realized the extent of his friendship with Dodger. Brothers come before lovers. Never had that phrase rang more true.

...

Only hours later, Dodger was arrested and sent off to jail. Charley Bates and Jack Dawkins never saw each other again. But in the years to come, Dodger would get married and have a son he would name Charley, and Charley would get married and have a son named Jack.

You see, best friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they're always there.

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><p>THE END! Well, what did you think? No, I didn't create that last sentence, it's a real quote. Ain't it lovely?<p>

I hope you all liked this! If you did, please please please

**REVIEW!**

**Reviews raise fan-fic dollars to get Dodger and Charley air-plane tickets to get back together and see each other again! Oh yes, authors have that power. lol**

~Rosey


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